


Aviracala

by orphan_account



Series: The Switch 'verse [6]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Fluff, Pregnancy, Sequel, Sexual Content, family fic, pregnant!Rose
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-30
Updated: 2016-11-04
Packaged: 2018-07-19 07:41:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 16,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7352086
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Four months after the switch happens, the future Doctor and Rose get some unexpected news.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Starting on the sequel to “The Switch”! I hope you all enjoy it as much as the first one.

“Bloody hell, this is good,” Rose moaned as she licked her ice cream cone. The Doctor had taken her to the planet Maerc Eci, boasting about the best ice cream in the galaxy. He was not over exaggerating.

He grinned at her, enjoying his own banana-flavored one. “See? Best ice cream in the galaxy, what did I tell you?”

“Maybe the universe.”

His grin turned into a loving smile as he watched Rose attack the creamy treat. “Perhaps. Did you know, the indigenous species here have a sixth sense?”

She raised an eyebrow. “What, like telepathy?”

He shook his head. “Not as impressive as me.” He said it with a sense of superiority, making Rose snort. “Anyway,” he continued, adding emphasis on the word, “as I was saying, they have a sixth sense. They’re able to sense chemical changes in the body.”

“What d’ya mean? Like, when it’s a woman’s cycle or something?” She spoke through a mouthful of ice cream.

“That, and other things. Fertility, depression, certain cancers, other disorders and illnesses. Quite useful, really; very efficient for detecting medical issues.”

She nodded and smiled for his benefit. “Interesting.”

He pouted. “You’re appeasing me.”

She got up from her spot across from him and pressed herself against his side. “Of course not, love.” She bit her lip to keep from laughing.

His pout grew deeper. “Yes you are.”

She wiped the look off his face with a lingering kiss. He looked at her with a dopey grin, the one he still often got despite them being together for well over four years. He leaned in and kissed her again. “Shall we shop and get some more to go? They sell it by the gallon. The gallon, Rose!”

She chuckled and held up her large cone. “Still got a way to go. How ‘bout I meet you in there?”

“I’ll wait for you.” He smiled and sat patiently, but before long he began to get antsy.

“Darling, just go. I’ll be there soon, promise.”

“Thanks.” He kissed Rose’s cheek and bounced off toward the large store, shooting her a wink over her shoulder.

She waved and then started on the rest of her cone. When she was almost done, she heard mumbles a few feet away. Curious, she looked over.

A group of four woman, obviously native to the planet, were glancing at her and smiling while speaking softly. When they noticed her looking, they waved politely and continued on their way.

Rose’s brow furrowed in confusion and stared at them as they walked away. She decided to not read anymore into it and quickly finished off her ice cream.

When the Doctor spotted her, two tubs of banana ice cream in hand, he beamed. “Rose! Quick, go pick out your favorite. Sell out like crazy, they do.” He frowned, looking past her. “You don’t want to know what I had to do for the second one.”

She rolled her eyes with a smile. “You and your bananas. I’ll be right back.”

“Ah…” He hurried in front of her. “Perhaps I should go first. It’s a bloodbath.”

Rose blinked and allowed him to lead her closely through the crowd. She looked for the planet’s version of Moose Tracks and was able to get it rather easily - apparently it wasn’t a popular flavor with the natives.

“Brilliant! Back to the TARDIS.”

“We have to pay first, Doctor.”

“...Right.”

oOo

A week later, Rose woke up feeling horribly nauseous. She looked over at the clock and noticed it was a couple hours earlier than she usually woke up and pegged it on that. Another wave came over her and she hurried out of the bed, throwing the bathroom door open and dropping down to her knees in front of the toilet.

Moments later, there was a hand on her back. “You all right, love?” He stroked between her shoulder blades and placed a kiss on the back of her neck.

Rose flushed the toilet and nodded, standing up shakily and brushing her teeth. “Just a bit of nausea. Maybe I caught something on that rainy planet.”

He stared at her in the mirror with concern. “I can give you something for it. Should make you feel better if it’s nothing serious - if it is, we’ll check you out.”

She smiled gratefully at him and went to go lie down while he got the medication. When he came back, she sat up drowsily and took the small red pill with a glass of water. She kissed his cheek. “Thank you.”

He got into the bed next to her and pulled her to lie on his chest. “Of course. Now, get some rest. Should take effect in about 10 minutes.”

It was 2 hours later when Rose woke up. She was happy to feel much better and stretched with a large yawn.

“Feeling better?”

She turned toward the Doctor and leaned in to give him a chaste kiss. “Much. Those must be miracle pills.”

He laughed and got out of the bed, taking her hand to pull her with him. “Wonderful. I was thinking we’d stay in for the day just in case; watch some movies, do some dancing.” He wiggled his eyebrows and grinned. They hadn’t been intimate since the night of the ice cream simply due to circumstance, a time much longer than he was used to. She always seemed to arouse him and was very much looking forward to getting back into routine - that is, if she continued to feel better.

Rose gave him her signature smile and ran her hands up his arms. “Perhaps we could do that out of order.” She placed a kiss on his neck. “Very soon.”

He pulled her against him and walked the short distance to the library. He lowered her down on the couch and crawled on top of her. “Happy to oblige.”

oOo

She was sick again the next morning, much to her dismay. The Doctor wanted to pull her into the infirmary immediately to do a thorough scan, but Rose refused. She knew exactly what could cause such a reaction in the morning. After she had come to the realization, panic began to settle. The Doctor might have settled into married life with ease, but what about a child? Would that be the tipping point.

She feigned a smile at the Doctor, who was sitting on the edge of the bed anxiously. “I’m feeling a bit better now. Mind if we take a trip to mum’s?”

He blinked, confused, but nodded nonetheless. “Of course, whatever you want. Been awhile, anyway.” He stood and took her hand, leading her to the console room.

Before she knew it, they were parked inside the flat (which Jackie hated) and were out the door.

Jackie walked over casually and pulled her daughter in for a hug. “Been a bit, yeah?”

Rose shrugged against her. “Sorry. Been a bit busy, s’all.”

The Doctor waved with one hand, the other in his pocket, and then headed to the kitchen.

Jackie sighed and turned toward the opening. “You clean out my cupboards, you’re the one going to the store!” She shook her head and looked at Rose. “That man, I swear.”

Rose smiled tightly. “Got a bit appetite. Time Lord metabolism.” She glanced toward the kitchen to make sure the Doctor wasn’t listening and then leaned in. “There’s a reason I came, actually. I need to talk to you ‘bout something.”

Jackie raised an eyebrow. “What is it, sweetheart.”

“Wait, let me get rid of him first.” Rose went into the kitchen where the Doctor was stuffing his face with chocolate biscuits. “Enjoying yourself?”

He nodded and motioned for her to join him. When Rose obliged, he pulled her into his lap. “Would you like to go shopping?”

She crossed her arms. “Oh no, you’re not getting out of it. You’ve already eaten a whole pack of biscuits and the rest of the jam!” She shook her head. “How you managed that in the time I was with mum, I’ll never know.”

He smiled cutely and reached for the banana bread. “Time Lordy secrets. Too complex for the human brain.”

“Oi!”

He kissed the frown off her face and then began on the bread. He paused before taking a bite and offered it to her.

She smiled and shook her head. “All yours. Thanks, though.”

Jackie joined them in the kitchen a couple minutes later and glanced at Rose. She then turned to the Doctor with a glare. “Used up all my jam! I needed that, you know.”

The Doctor waved her off. “I’ll get some later.”

“I have some baking to do. Need it now.”

“I have a responsibility to keep you away from any sort of cooking.”

Jackie shot him a look. “Baking. Shows what you know. Finish your bread and then go.” When he began to complain, she raised her hand.

The Doctor’s eyes widened and he subconsciously shrunk away. “Right. Jam.” He scarfed down the rest of the bread, ready to get out of there as quickly as possible, and then patted Rose on the back so she would stand.

She smiled at him as he headed toward the door. “Have a good time. And come back with one. We have plenty in the TARDIS.”

He furrowed his brow. “You’re not coming with me?”

“Came here to spend time with mum. I think you’ll be okay on your own.”

He pouted, but dragged his feet out the door.

“All right, what’s goin’ on?”

Rose blew out a breath and turned to her mother, her eyes welling up with tears.

Jackie’s eyes widened. “What’s wrong, sweetheart? He do something?”

Rose shook her head and looked down, her heart racing. “I...I think I might be pregnant.”

“Oh, but that’s wonderful! Why are you so upset?” She pulled her daughter to her.

“But what if it’s not? It was hard enough for us to get to this point - what if this is too much for him?” The tears spilled over and her face scrunched up.

Jackie swept her into a hug. “That man loves you more than anything, Rose. I’m sure he’ll be thrilled.”

“But what if he’s not?” Rose looked at her with wide, imploring eyes.

Jackie sighed and reached for her purse. “Well, we don’t even know if it’s true. How ‘bout I head over to the apothecary and grab a test. Knowing him, he’ll be at the store for hours.”

Rose took a deep breath and attempted to calm herself and then nodded. “Thanks.”

Jackie led her over to the couch and made her sit down. “I’ll be back before you know it. Just try and relax.”

While her mother was out, Rose tried to do just that. She knew it was pointless, with how badly her hands were shaking and how pale she undoubtedly was. While alone, she was able to immerse herself in her thoughts. It succeeded in only making things worse.

The door opened a bit later and Rose held her breath, hoping it wasn’t the Doctor. When her mother called her name, she sighed in relief. She stood and prepared herself before walking to the front door where her mother stood. She took the test that was being held out to her and quickly locked herself in the bathroom.

She sat and stared at the test for several minutes, eyes dim. It terrified her, finding out, but she knew she couldn’t put it off. Eventually it would become evident if true. She stood and took the test and then sat it on the counter.

Jackie knocked on the door soon after. “Everything all right?”

“Yeah, just waiting.” She ran a hand over her face and fidgeted as the minutes ticked by. Once her time was up, she reluctantly shuffled over to the sink and picked it up. When she peered down, she gasped.

She was pregnant.


	2. Chapter 2

****_She was pregnant._ **  
**

What was she going to do? She was stuck in a state between worry and joy, worry over the Doctor and joy over her child. It was in her nature to love, of course she would already feel that way toward her barely-there son or daughter.

“Rose?”

She startled out of her thoughts and hurried to unlock the door. The test was still gripped in her shaking hands and Jackie carefully pried it from her fingers. Unlike her own conflicting emotions, Jackie’s eyes lit up with glee. “Oh, I’m getting a _grandbaby_!”

“A _what_?”

Both Rose and Jackie turned to the source of the voice. The Doctor was standing behind the two, eyes wide and mouth hanging open.

Rose felt her stomach sink. “Doctor-”

“We should go back to the TARDIS.”

Jackie held up a hand to the Doctor, setting him with a stern expression. “Now don’t you get all-”

“Rose, let’s go back to the TARDIS.” His expression was impossible to read, which scared Rose even more.

She took in a shaky breath and placed a hand on her mother’s arm. “It’s fine, mum. We’ll be back in a bit.” Before Jackie could protest, the Doctor was pulling her into the TARDIS and closing the door firmly behind them. She closed her eyes as he set the coordinates for the vortex. “Mum won’t be happy we left.”

“We’ll deal with her later. Now,” he grabbed her arm again and led her down the corridor, “let’s get you checked out.” His voice held that of a medical professional, detached and straightforward. Rose was sure she would be sick with worry. He led her to the infirmary and had her sit down a freshly papered cot as he set up various machines spewing Gallifreyan readings.

She kept herself calm as the Doctor silently performed tests, some she recognized as basic gestational checkups and some she did not. Once he was finished poking and prodding, she opened her mouth to speak, but when he focused his attention intently on the main screen in front of him she curled back into herself.

No more than ten minutes later the Doctor pulled back in surprise. “You’re pregnant.” His voice was quiet and full of astonishment. “But...how could I not tell?”

“How is it even possible?” Rose spoke up, feeling a bit of her confidence return now that he was speaking.

He shook his head, still looking at the monitor. “I’m not completely sure. From what I see, it’s as if your body is changing to accommodate the child rather than your body simply rejecting the implanted egg. Mind you, the latter is what _should_ happen. Not noticeable, of course, or we would have taken precautions. But this...you shouldn’t be able to _do_ this.”

Rose slowly slipped from the cot and placed a hesitant hand on his forearm. “But I did. What does that mean? Will the baby be okay?” She felt panic rise in her chest at the thought of their child being in danger.

“Yes, yes, of course. I think.” When he noticed her breathing increase in rate, he backpedalled. “If we run into any complications, you’ve got the cleverest being at your fingertips. And that is a very big if.” He turned to her fully and rubbed her shoulders. “Bad Wolf, most likely. Almost positively. I…” he trailed off and shook his head before dropping down in front of her, placing his hands on her stomach. “ _Aviracala_.”

“Sorry?”

He glanced up at her, keeping his hands planted. “It’s low-level gallifreyan - high form is a bit too...transdimensional...for you to pick up on. Anyway, off track.” He chuckled shortly and then continued. “ _Aviracala_. It means ‘miracle’.” He stood and looked her deep in the eyes. “That’s what this is, Rose. A miracle.”

Rose hadn’t realized how tightly she was wound until she felt all the tension release. She let out a relieved sob and flung her arms around his neck, pulling him close. “Oh, thank god. I’m so glad you think so. I was so worried.”

He planted a kiss on the top of her head, confused. “Why were you so worried, love?”

She pulled back and began to play with his tie, afraid to look him in the eye. “Well, it’s about as domestic as it can get, yeah? Maybe...too much.”

He was surprised how much it hurt to hear her fretting over his reaction. “Rose-”

“I know, just being a silly little human. But...well, you know how it was at first. How much adjusting it took for us to get here.” She held up her left hand where her ring glistened against the bright light. “Could’ve been the nail in the coffin, that’s all.”

“Rose Marion Tyler,” he forced her to look up at him, “don’t you dare believe for a moment that I could _ever_ regret any life we created together.”

More tears streamed down her cheeks as she smiled up at him. “Thank you,” she whispered.

“No, thank _you_.”

After some kisses and cuddles later, Rose pulled back. “All right, enough of that. We’ve got to go back to mum. She’ll be worried.”

The Doctor winced. “Do we have to?”

Rose rolled her eyes. “You’ve gotten so good at not complainin’ about it, too.”

“She’s going to slap me. A lot.”

She blinked in surprise. “Doctor. You’re my _husband_. She’s been nagging about grandchildren ever since we got married. I know you’ve heard her before.”

He rubbed the back of his neck and looked off to the side. “Well, _yes_ , but she could have just been doing that to make me uncomfortable. Not that this makes me uncomfortable!” He held up his arms in defense in case Rose got offended.

Rose rolled her eyes again and shook her head. “C’mon.”

“But-”

“ _Now_.”

oOo

Rose stepped out of the TARDIS and into her mother’s flat before the Doctor, who was still convinced he’d be going back to their home with a Jackie-shaped handprint across his cheek. Granted, if he continued to act how he was, Rose wasn’t sure he would be wrong.

“Rose!” Jackie had been waiting on the couch in the living room and stood the moment the TARDIS materialized.

When Rose saw her mother’s expectant look, she couldn’t stop the large grin.

Jackie relaxed and pulled her in for a hug. “Oh, love. I’m so happy for you. I’m so happy for _me_.”

Rose laughed and hugged her tighter. She knew the moment the Doctor had stepped out of the TARDIS, because Jackie had let her go and tackled the Time Lord.

“Jackie! Now, this is hardly necessary-”

“-Oh, you shut your mouth. I can’t believe it, a baby! Oh Doctor, I’m just so happy for both of you-”

“Yes, yes, that’s lovely, but it’s no reason- _put me down_.”

Rose watched the two in amusement and subconsciously rubbed her stomach.


	3. Chapter 3

 

Throughout the week after they found out about the pregnancy, the Doctor made sure to monitor Rose carefully.

“I just want to make sure everything’s running smoothly. You’re carrying a half-Gallifreyan child, something humans are not made for,” the Doctor explained as he scanned her results. “I think it’s best to put you on a nutrient IV weekly - the child is already taking more than you’ll be able to handle on a normal diet. I’m also expecting a large increase in your metabolism, perhaps even hyperactive. If that happens, the pregnancy will most likely last as long as a human pregnancy. With the faster metabolism, the child will develop quicker, something expected due to the TNA that is sure to develop. Some side effects will be increased appetite - even more so than normal, though you probably would already figure that - and possibly insomnia. _Possibly_. There’s a chance it would cause fatigue.”

Rose nodded from her spot on the cot. She was starting to get uncomfortable with IV’s and nodes attached, but tried to ignore it. “I think I’d prefer the former. So the child will most likely be more like you?”

He nodded. “Time Lord DNA is much stronger than human. Instead of half and half, it’ll be closer to 3/4 and 1/4.”

She wasn’t surprised by this. She knew very well that the Doctor had superior biology (he made sure no one forgot, after all). “Makes sense. Are we almost done?”

He turned to her, eyebrows raised. “Just about. Are you in pain?”

She shook her head, though it ended in a cringe when she moved her arm wrong. “Just a bit of discomfort. Nothing I can’t handle.”

“I’m sorry, love.” A couple of minutes later he was unhooking Rose, much to her relief. Afterward, he sat down next to her and rubbed her arm and back comfortingly. “I have a feeling this pregnancy will be full of discomfort, unfortunately.”

She shrugged and leaned her head on his shoulder. “But worth it, yeah?”

He nuzzled the top of her head and grinned. “Oh yes.” He planted a kiss on her temple and stood up. “I’d like to stay in the TARDIS for at least another week so I can keep tabs on the development.”

Rose shot up to look at him properly. “ _That long_? Doctor, that’s ridiculous.” She shot him an exasperated look and crossed her arms.

He sighed and stood, taking her hands in his. “Think about the baby. If you end up hurt, so does our child. Not to mention any complications that could unexpectedly come up.”

Her eyes widened. Anxiety filled her at the thought of their child in danger. “Could that really happen? Complications?”

He tugged her into his arms and rubbed her back comfortingly. “It’s a small chance. Even if we do run into any issues, you’ve got the best doctor around.”

She snuggled into his embrace, the fear only ebbing away slightly. “Only you can sound comforting and egotistical in the same sentence.”

“Well, I am very impressive.” He grinned and placed a kiss on her temple before nudging her to look at him. “So, another week?”

“Another week.” It was a small compromise for the safety of the baby. Another week could do her some good, anyway, if the changes in her biology would end up as exhausting as they seemed (or perhaps not, it was up in the air at this point). If she were honest, she had noticed waking up a couple hours later than usual. And perhaps going to bed a couple hours earlier (much to the Doctor’s dismay - he missed her enough after her usual 6-7 hours).

The Doctor gave her a lingering kiss. “Thank you.”

oOo

It wasn't long into the week where Rose seemed to be irritated with _everything_. She felt bad because the Doctor was being attentive and doting, but blimey, couldn't he just leave her alone for five minutes?

She was currently getting those five minutes while relaxing in their luxurious bath. Soft jets worked to soothe her muscles, the tension from being confined slowly releasing.

“Rose?”

She held in the groan as the Doctor peeked into the bathroom. “Yes?” She tried to keep her voice as pleasant as possible, but inside her irritation came back full force.

He stepped fully into the bathroom with a sweet smile. “Just checking on you. Is the bath relaxing? Are you hungry? I went out and got more bananas - no doubt that child’s mine - I could go get you some to enjoy while you bathe.”

Rose felt the coil inside her tighten more and more as he continued to question her comfort, so it was no surprise to her when she abruptly sat up with fire in her eyes. “Bloody hell, Doctor!”

He startled at the sudden outburst, blinking repeatedly with wide eyes. “I-”

“Can I please get a _moment_ of privacy? Just one. I know you're trying to help, but you're bloody suffocating me.” She huffed and leaves back against the tub, closing her eyes with a frown.

The Doctor remained silent for some time, still stunned, before speaking in a small voice. “I'm sorry, love. I was just trying to help. I'll leave you to your time, promise, I'll just...cook. No, work on the TARDIS. Could use the repairs, the old girl, and - and I should leave, you want space, sorry.” He hurried out the door and closed it behind him gently.

It wasn't long for her agitation to melt away and remorse set in. He was just trying to help, after all. He was even mindful of her hatred toward the multiple medical exams he wished to conduct, only having performed two in the last three days (she knew he'd prefer at least two a day). With a sigh, she turned off the jets and let out the water, then stood to dry off.

After changing into a pair of pajamas, she went out to the console room in search of the Doctor. True to his word, he was half underneath the grating, though he obviously wasn't working. It only served to make her feel worse. “Doctor?”

The Doctor slowly moved from beneath the grating. He sat with his legs out and leaned back against the console, staring up at Rose with cautious wide eyes. “I'm sorry that I've been suffocating you.”

“No.” She hurried over to sit next to the Doctor and gave him an awkward side hug. She never wanted him to feel bad about being so wonderful, though she knew she certainly didn't seem like it right now. “ _I’m_ sorry. You've been nothing but helpful. It's just the hormones, I'm sure. Please don't feel bad.”

“But you said-”

“I was wrong to say that.” She bit her lip and fiddled with his fingers. “Sometimes I may need a little alone time, yes, but don't think I don't appreciate every moment I have with you.” She kissed his cheek and allowed him to bring an arm around her waist. “I love you.”

The Doctor pulled her closer and rubbed her back. “Love you. I'll try to be more mindful, promise.”

As they sat there in each other's arms, Rose couldn't help the tears that came to her eyes. She tried to sniffle inconspicuously, but knew the Doctor’s hypersensitive ears would catch it.

He quickly let go of her so he could look at her properly. “Rose? What's wrong?” The panic was evident in her voice.

Rose shook her head and wiped away stray tears. “It's just...we’re having a baby and you're amazing, and we’re so happy. Doctor, I've never been so _happy_.”

“Oh, love.” He cuddled her again, a soft smile on his lips. “Those are the hormones kicking in, all right.” He kissed the top of her head. “But I haven't, either. Been so happy.” One hand came to rest are her still-flat stomach, accompanied by a content hum.

The overwhelming happiness Rose was dealing with seemed to tenfold. She worried the tears would never stop so she settled for hiding her face in the crook of her husband’s neck. Before long, her stomach grumbled loudly.

The Doctor laughed and pulled back. “Bananas?”

Rose nodded and licked her lips. “Bananas.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some lines taken from BBC’s “The Next Doctor”
> 
> This chapter has a bit more of an angsty feel, but the next one will be nice and smutty!

“Where are we going?” Rose watched the Doctor dance around the console while she relaxed on the jump seat. After years of practice, the usual jarring of the TARDIS didn’t bother her as much - she was aware that the Doctor may have started to take extra precautions, as well.

“19th century. Mid, I’d say; good time. Nice and relaxing.” Relaxing was now synonymous for “safe” in the Doctor’s book.

Rose smiled and placed a hand on her stomach. “I’m sure it is.”

The TARDIS landed with a soft jolt. The Doctor turned toward Rose with a grin. “Ya see? 1850s!”

“You sure?”

“Of course I’m sure!”

Rose raised an eyebrow.

The Doctor hesitated for a moment, his sure expression turning hesitant. “I _am_ sure…but I’ll just pop out for a mo’ before you. One tick.”

She smiled and shook her head at her husband’s antics, but waited patiently (she knew the odds were against them when it came to his driving skills).

“Rose!”

She perked up at the urgent tone in the Doctor’s voice and was out the TARDIS door within moments. She spotted him quickly, half running and half looking behind him for her. “Coming! Go!” She sighed when he looked at her warily, then sped up to grab his hand and tug him along. She noticed a dark skinned woman in a peasant-class dress calling the Doctor’s name and furrowed her brow in confusion. “D’you know her?”

“Never met her in my life.”

It didn’t surprise Rose in the slightest. “That’s our life though, yeah?”

He stopped to grin at her with a wiggle of his eyebrows. “Oh yes. Allonsy!” The woman is obviously alarmed by something behind the large wooden double doors of the closest building. With an arm holding Rose behind him (much to her chagrin) he turned to the woman. “Don’t worry, don’t worry. Stand back.” He moved slightly closer to the doors. “What have we got here?” When a snarl sounded from its direction, he startled back and pushed Rose farther away. “Oooh. Okay, I’ve got it. Whatever’s behind that door, I think you should get out of here.” He glanced back at Rose. “You too, love.”

Rose snorted and crossed her arms. “Fat chance.”

“Doctor!” The woman began calling out again frantically.

The Doctor swiveled back to the woman, confused. “No, no. Standing right here.” He moved in front of her with a small wave and raised eyebrows. “Hello.”

The woman looked at him as though he were daft, a nice hit to the Doctor’s ego. “Don’t be stupid. Who are you?”

“I’m the Doctor. Rose, tell her.”

Rose rolled her eyes, but obliged. “He’s the Doctor.”

“Doctor who?”

“Just the Doctor,” the couple responded in unison.

“Well, there can’t be two of you.” Before either could respond, a man ran up in a panic. “Where the hell have you been?”

Oh. It hit the Doctor as soon as the other man was noticeable. He had regenerated. Youngish - not as young as he was now, but still a step ahead of graying. Normally, he would be able to handle the double-Doctor situation and move on, but one glaring fact kept him from peace.

There was no Rose.

He watched as Rose moved closer to his future self in a stupor. “Hold up, mate. Who are you?”

If the Doctor wasn’t sure before, that changed when the man took a bit too long studying Rose. He quickly snapped out of it. “I’m the Doctor. Simply, the Doctor. The one, the only and the best.” He held out a hand to the other woman. “Rosita, give me the sonic screwdriver.”

It crept upon Rose not too long after the future Doctor’s introduction at who exactly the man was. It couldn’t be a past version or else her Doctor would have recognized him. One hand subconsciously rubbed her stomach as she backed away from the unfamiliar pair and nearer to her husband, seeking his comfort. She knew she’d have to leave him eventually, but she had always felt that they would find a loophole eventually. Tears began to form in her eyes, so she quickly blinked them back and forced a teasing smile on her lips. “Keeping the name in the family, I see.”

The Doctor tried to match the smile, but failed rather miserably. He opened his mouth to respond, but before he had the chance the doors burst open to reveal a rather revolting creature, in the Doctor’s opinion. It vaguely reminded him of a Cyberman, but much more…”Monster-y.” The last part was accidentally said out loud.

“Didn’t know Cybermen had pets.”

“I always figured they would pick cats. Nasty little things. No emotions, just the thing.” He shot Rose a wounded look when she slapped his arm.

“Oh, that’s new.” The Future Doctor studied the creature in his familiar calculating, yet excited way.

Both Doctors pointed their sonic screwdrivers-one Doctor pointed a sonic screwdriver. The other was decidedly… _un_ -sonic. Rose sighed to herself and resolved to hang back near Rosita. It was bound to be a long day.

oOo

Once the truth was revealed about Lake’s life, Rose felt a mixture of relief and compassion. The poor man had been through so much, but it also meant no guarantee of her eventual end.

Lake turned toward the couple with a smile. “I take it this is goodbye.”

The Doctor took Rose’s hand in his own. “Onward and upward.”

Lake turned toward Rose. “Your Doctor is very lucky in his choice of companion. I’m sure you will make sure he remembers that.”

Rose beamed and winked at the Doctor. “You bet.”

“Now! We’d really love to stay, but there are matters to attend to in the TARDIS.”

Rose bit back a sigh. “Exactly what matters are those?”

“Just a couple tests, Rose. That’s all.”

She gave Lake an exasperated look and then stared back at her husband. “Pretty sure you’ve run every one in the universe, love.”

The Doctor closed his eyes for a moment. “Rose, please. Just some scans.” He gazed at her imploringly. “Please.”

She knew his mind was on the same thing as hers had been all day. It really didn’t surprise her that the caution he’d conveyed with the pregnancy had grown into a simmering fear. “Of course. Mr. Lake,” she smiled at the man and shook his hand. “It’s been a pleasure.”

They finished their goodbyes and treked back to the TARDIS in silence. The Doctor was quick to lead her through the doors and into the infirmary. Instead of his usual blabbering, he was quiet in through his tests. “Everything seems to be in order. I’ll just get you unhooked and then sleep. I’m sure you’re exhausted.”

“Doctor.”

He stopped, back turned to her.

She gently unhooked the devices and hugged him around the waist. “We both know it’s going to happen eventually. There’s nothing we can do about it.”

“We’ll figure something out.”

“We might not.”

The Doctor sighed, grief weighing heavily on his heart. It worried him how badly it crippled him with his wife still right here; he very much did not want to know how he would be once she was gone. “Rose, please.”

Hormones were taking over again, with tears silently flowing down her cheeks. She turned him around to face her and brought her lips up to his. The gentle brushes of lips quickly turned hungry  and she began to lead them both back to the cot. “Let’s just be happy. We’re going to be parents. Let’s be _happy_.”

The Doctor sealed her words with his lips once again. “Happy.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A nice fluffly and smutty chapter.

 

“Do we have anymore bananas?” **  
**

The Doctor looked up from his book to Rose with raised eyebrows. “We just bought two bunches.”

Rose looked down with a blush. “They’re gone.” Fortunately, her morning sickness had subsided once the first trimester passed, though her fatigue had increased consistently due to the hyper-metabolism. Her fast metabolism accompanied by another being to feed had made her appetite insatiable. She had also found another craving became hard to satisfy; she was practically jumping the Doctor every chance she got (assuming she was not too fatigued).

The Doctor stood with a smile and pulled her into his arms. “No denying it’s my child. Well, apart from the very distinguishable symptoms. I’ll go stop at a grove, just for you. All the bananas we want.” He grinned as a thought struck him. “Oh! There’s this lovely planet dedicated to the fruit. Groves upon groves and any sort of banana good you could think up.”

Rose’s eyes lit up and she kissed him in gratitude. “Thank you. Baby thanks you, too.”

He placed a hand on her stomach. “You’re very welcome. Now, allons-y!”

After a not-so-quick trip (with lovely banana milkshakes available at every other quickstop stand) the kitchen was more than stocked with banana everything. Bunches, bread, cake, cookies, pudding.

“Perhaps I could whip up some of the pudding, eh?” The Doctor wrapped his arms around Rose’s waist, where she was busy stocking the pantry.

She smiled and turned in his arms. “I would love you forever.”

“I was sort of hoping that was already the plan.”

She laughed and pulled him to her lips for a sound kiss. “Only sort of?” she murmured against him.

He hummed. “‘Sort of’ meaning extremely, immensely-”

She cut him off with one more kiss and then pulled away. “Now, about that pudding.”

He winked and pulled out a package Rose had just put away, beginning to prepare the dessert. Instant pudding on the banana planet was much more “instant” than Earth, both had found. In no time the Doctor was ready to serve, much to Rose’s relief. Once we was finished dishing it out, he turned to Rose with a grin. “Done!” He flicked the serving spoon in his exuberance, accidentally getting some on Rose’s collarbone.

She squeaked in surprise. “Doctor!”

His eyes widened and he rushed over. “I’m so sorry, love. Still,” he swiped some off and sucked it off his finger, “delicious.”

Rose’s eyes darkened as heat spread down to her core. “You forgot some.” Her tone was breathy and full of arousal.

The Doctor slowly pulled his finger out with a raised eyebrow, catching on. “Seems I did.” He pushed her hair aside and leaned down to lick off the remaining pudding. His tongue trailed up to the junction of her neck and shoulder and nipped.

Rose moaned and gripped his hair to pull him closer. “I think I can wait a bit for the pudding.”

“Sure?” He began to unbutton her blouse. “You were ravenous earlier.”

“Craving has changed.” She pushed him against the counter and ripped his shirt open, then her own. When she noticed his expression, she shrugged. “Weak buttons. I took advantage.”

He smiled and let his eyes trail down her body. She had “popped” a week before; earlier than a normal human pregnancy, but it was expected. “You’re so beautiful.”

Rose bit her lip and looked to the side, some of the heat waning. “Kinda hard to feel that way right now.”

He placed his hands on her stomach and placed a small, loving kiss on her lips. “Proof of our child. What could be more beautiful?”

She smiled, which quickly turned into a smirk. “Maybe you should show me.” She quickly unbuttoned his pants and cupped him through his boxers.

“Blimey! Quick on the draw.” His breaths quickened and his eyes closed in pleasure. Rose had chosen to forgo foreplay more often lately. He turned them around and easily lifted her up on the counter, pulling her trousers and knickers down in one long tug.

“In, now.” Demanding was another quality she had taken on (not that the Doctor was complaining.” She gasped as he entered her. Her fingers went into his hair and her legs hooked around his waist to pull him in deeper. “ _Fuck_ , Doctor.”

He groan into her neck and began a quick pace, reveling in every moan and intake of breath Rose made. He hiked her legs higher, mindful of her bump, as he pushed in deeper. “Bloody hell, Rose. Not going to last long…”

Rose had found she was much more sensitive than usual and was quickly drawing to the edge. “Keep going,” she breathed into his ear and let her head fall back. Her breaths quickened as he moved quicker inside her and soon enough she was crying out as her orgasm hit.

The Doctor was soon to follow as she tightened around him and he muffled his moan against her breast. He slowed down and then pulled out, leaning lightly against her. “I love you.”

She hummed sleepily and offered a lingering kiss. “Love you, too.” She glanced lazily toward the pudding as the Doctor pulled her back down to the floor. “Perhaps we should put the pudding in the fridge. I’m a bit tired.”

The Doctor grinned smugly and pushed a strand of Rose’s hair behind her ear. “Of course, love. I’ll take care of it.” He picked her up into his arms with only weak protests as she began to doze off against him. He chuckled and looked down at her in adoration before moving out of the galley and to their bedroom. The TARDIS was nice enough to move the room only one door away and soon enough he had Rose tucked snugly under the covers. He pushed her hair back and placed a kiss on her forehead.

He knew she would sleep at least for a couple hours and left to work on cleaning up the mess. The TARDIS had set out some cling wrap so he was able to get the pudding in the fridge and the dishes in the dishwasher in record time. After their encounter with the faux Doctor, dread had set deep in his chest. He was often able to ignore the inevitable, but having it shoved in his face forced him to face his deepest fear. How was he supposed to handle her death? Their child would have his genes and therefore a longer lifespan, but would not regenerate. Such is life without the academy on Gallifrey, though he was sure he would never subject his child to that sort of torture.

He soon realized a half hour had passed and shook himself out of his macabre thoughts, choosing instead to join his wife. The TARDIS had already set his book on the nightstand as he was far from tired and he sent a mental thank you. He settled in next to Rose and began to read, one hand gently rubbing her stomach. At that moment he decided to not dwell on the future pain until it became a reality. He had other things, other people, to take care of now.


	6. Chapter 6

 

“Don’t you think we can change these bi-weekly checkups to weekly? It’s a bit much.” Rose was rather sick of getting poked and prodded; it was beginning to take a toll on her. She’d like to let her arms heal a bit better between blood tests. Of course the Doctor was very precise in his drawing, but after multiple times she was beginning to bruise.

The Doctor began his tests on the vial he had just drawn while speaking distractedly. “I really feel more comfortable with our usual routine.”

She sighed. “Doctor, it _hurts_.”

At her admission he looked up in alarm. “What does? Rose, why didn’t you tell me?” He hurried over to her, scanning her with his eyes.

“My arms. All the pokes are gettin’ a bit much.” She cursed her hormones when tears blurred her vision.

“Oh, love.” He sat down and pulled her into his arms. “Perhaps...we could switch to weekly. You’re out of the danger zone for miscarriage.” He checked over one arm at a time, keeping her close. “I’m so sorry. I don’t want you to be in pain.”

“I know.” She sniffled snuggled into her husband. “I’d really appreciate it, Doctor. Please.”

He pulled back, biting his lip, and then nodded. “Of course. Weekly from here on out. Now,” he hopped off the cot, “I’ll finish evaluating your blood and then we’ll find out the sex. Then one more test - I’m able to check for allergies now through the amniotic fluid as Gallifreyans are able to tell before birth. A normal test for Gallifreyan looming, I’m quite positive it will work the same with natural pregnancy.”

Rose blinked in surprise. “You can? Why didn’t you tell me?”

He blinked back, just as surprised but for a different reason entirely. “I didn’t tell you? I’m sure I did.”

“I think I would have remembered you telling me.”

“Oh. I’m sorry.” He cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “And of course, that is only if you wish to know the sex. We can keep it a surprise, as well.”

Rose raised her eyebrows and cocked her head to the side. “What do _you_ want to do?”

“Whatever you do, love.” He studied the test results, feigning nonchalance. Of course, he did not account for Rose’s uncanny ability to read him like a book. He was unconsciously fidgeting in anticipation.

She smiled warmly. “Let’s find out.”

He then turned to her with a large grin. “Brilliant! Your blood tests are as perfect as ever. No abnormalities or indication of disorders. Let’s get you situated.” He bounced over to her excitedly and began to prepare for the test. He pulled out a needle and looked at her with reluctance. “I’m sorry, I have to draw blood one more time. I’ll use the other arm.”

Rose was too excited to care too much and offered her arm without protest. The arm hadn’t been used as often as her veins weren’t as prominent, but with the Doctor’s expertise he was able to quickly and efficiently draw the blood. “Now, for the big test of the day.” He wiggled his eyebrows at Rose and set up to analyze the sample.

She tried to look up over the Doctor’s shoulder from her spot on the cot, kicking her feet. She knew if she got up he would only make her go back on the bed, claiming she needed to rest after drawing so much blood. In reality is wasn’t much, but being as overprotective as he was, she allowed him to coddle her a bit.

She knew the moment the results were in; the Doctor stilled completely and then let out a long breath. He turned to Rose with watery eyes and moved to sit down next to her. He took her hands in his, rubbing them with his thumbs and a bright smile. “We’re having a little girl,” he said thickly and then let out a breathy laugh.

Rose beamed and freed a hand to place on her protruding belly. “A girl. Brilliant.”

“I’m already worried about the ones I’ll be beating off with a stick.”

Rose laughed and leaned her head against his shoulder. “Oh, you’ll be so overprotective. Poor girl will never leave the TARDIS alone.”

He turned to her, aghast. “Of course not! The universe is a dangerous place, Rose. Probably end up just like her mother, wandering off every chance she gets.”

“Oi!” She slapped his arm, but couldn’t keep the constant grin off her lips. “You wander just as much as me.” She then sighed happily and rubbed her stomach. “Guess we’ll have to think up a name.”

The Doctor rubbed the back of his neck and looked down, confusing Rose. He looked back up and chewed on his lower lip. “Actually, I sort of had one in mind. I know we should decide together and you can veto the idea, of course.”  

Rose cut off his ramble before it could get too far. “Tell me. I’m sure I’ll love it.”

“Well…I had a brother. We sometimes didn’t get along, he made some bad choices along the way - though I have as well, it’s only natural - but he was still my brother. I cared for him. And…” He trailed off and shuffled his feet.

Rose rubbed his arm, urging him to continue.

“I just thought, perhaps we could do a variation of his name. Nothing drastic, of course. His name was Braxiatel. Ah, my idea was Braxiatalia. Talia for short, make it easier for her to blend in on Earth if we ever have your mother babysitting her. That is a big “if”, though. Well, she did raise you and you turned out rather perfect.”

Rose smiled and cut him off once again. “It’s lovely. Of course we can honor him, Doctor. How about you pick out the first name and I’ll choose the middle. Even up the playing field.” She winked.

“Of course!” He nodded vehemently and then calmed. “Thank you.”

She kissed him softly. “You have nothing to thank me for. I actually thought up some names as well.” She thought through her list to decide what fit best with her daughter’s name. She couldn’t help but enjoy the rush she got at calling the baby her daughter. “How about...Mae? How does that sound?”

“Braxiatalia Mae Tyler.” He grinned. “Molto Bene! Talia Mae. “Come help your mother with the dishes, Talia Mae”, “Allons-y, Talia Mae!”, ‘No, you cannot go on a date before you’re at least a century old, Talia Mae”.” He sniffed and nodded. “I quite like it.”

Rose giggled. “So it’s decided. And she can very well go on a date before she’s a century old.”

“She’d barely be out of adolescence!”

“She’s part human, Doctor. Besides, I started dating at fifteen.”

His eyes widened comically. “Oh, no no no _no_ , Rose Marion Tyler. Our daughter will not be dating at fifteen.”

“Oo, using my middle name and everything. You’re serious.” She could barely fight back a smirk.

The Doctor poked her side. “You’re mocking me. Promise to at least wait until she’s eighteen.”

“Sixteen.”

“I seem to remember you made rather...questionable choices at that age. Well, choice. With a rather boring name. How could you date a man with a name like Jimmy again?”

She shot him a look. “Sixteen, but no one named Jimmy. How ‘bout that?”

He grumbled. “How about we go over this again once the time comes.”

She nodded, satisfied. “Deal.”

“Now, for the allergy test.” He stood and pulled on his ear with remorse. “This might...hurt a bit. I’m sorry.”

“You’ll be sticking a rather impressive needle in my stomach. Of _course_ it’ll hurt.” She smiled comfortingly. “I’ll be okay. It’ll be worth it.”

The Doctor nodded and set up the necessary equipment. “Take a deep breath. I’m about to start.”

She nodded and took in a deep breath. As she felt the needle go in, she gritted her teeth. The Doctor began to apologize profusely, but she waved it off. It was necessary.

“All right, done.” He started the analysis after cleaning Rose up. “It goes rather quickly. Gallifreyans aren’t known for having many allergies.” Right as he finished speaking, the machine beeped. “Let’s see...ah, just as I expected.”

“What? Does she have any?”

He nodded. “Aspirin. Same as me.”

Rose bit her lip and nodded. “Good to know. Will she need vaccines when she’s born.”

At this, he shook his head. “Her immune system will be much better than a human’s. She won’t be susceptible to human diseases and infections.”

Rose was only partially surprised at his statement, but it made her feel better that she wouldn’t have to worry about her child getting ill. She had heard horror stories of the types of sickness infants sometimes got and had secretly began to feel anxious. “Our brilliant girl.”

He smiled and kissed the top of her head. “Absolutely. Now, I have a surprise for you.”

She raised an eyebrow, silently asking for clarification.

He nodded toward the door and held out a hand. “C’mon. I’ll show you.”

She took his head and allowed him to lead her to their bedroom. Raunchy ideas of what his “surprise” was began to run through her mind and arousal crept in. Along with the increased sex drive, she had taken to being more adventurous in bed (the Doctor certainly did not complain).

He had her sit down on their bed and rummaged through his nightstand. When he found what he was looking for he let out a cry of triumph. It was a glossy pamphlet with colorful wording on the front. “Rose Tyler, I am taking you on the trip of a lifetime. Nothing but rest and relaxation. Barcelona! The planet, of course. There’s a lovely all-inclusive resort that will cater to all your needs.”

Rose looked over the pamphlet with a grin. “This looks amazing!”

“I even got a reservation! And before you ask, no that does not mean the psychic paper. An actual, real reservation! All domestic and everything.”

She chuckled and nodded her head approvingly. “I proud of you. When are we going?”

“Tomorrow!”

“Tomorrow?!” Her eyes widened. “Doctor! I’ll have to pack, we’ll have to make sure everything really is safe, and who knows what else.”

“All taken care of.” He sat down next to her to comfort her. “Haven’t you noticed your clothes disappearing?”

She looked down sheepishly. “Well…”

He smiled and kissed her temple. “No worries. Pregnancy brain really is a thing. Everything is absolutely set.”

She turned to him and brought his lips to hers. “Thank you. Now,” she began to lie back, pulling him down with her. “Let me thank you properly.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some more fluff. Angst is to come, though

 

Rose placed a lazy kiss on the Doctor’s bare chest and snuggled deeper into the bed. “It’s time to visit mum.” **  
**

The Doctor groaned loudly. “Or _not_. You seem very comfortable right now, Rose, and your comfort is my top priority. I believe it’s best for you to stay right here. In fact, there is no reason to see your mother until after the baby is born.”

Rose sighed. “You know, this whole facade you put on of hating my mother is getting old.”

“Facade!” He shot up and stared at her, affronted. “I have absolutely no idea what you are implying, Rose. I…” He quickly caught on that she didn’t buy any of it and sighed in defeat. “I concede that I may be...exaggerating slightly.”

Rose laughed and pulled him back down. “You’re family, Doctor. You love my mum and mum loves you.”

He let out a breath and rested his head against Rose’s breastbone. “If I go without a fight, will you let it go?”

“Deal.”

oOo

It came to a complete surprise when the Doctor was overjoyed at the prospect of baby shopping. “I’ve never been to a _baby_ store before! I can’t believe they have whole stores dedicated to such small beings. With there be toys? Rose, I haven’t played with toys in _centuries_.” He bounced over to the door, Rose and Jackie in tow.

“That’s probably because you’re over 900 years old, Doctor. Old men don’t generally play with children’s toys.” She smirked from behind him, her mother snorting in reply.

He stopped and swiveled around, shooting her a look. “I’d like to think I’m as old as I act.”

“So...you’re 5? Because that’s how you act most of the time.”

“Oi!” He fell in step with Rose, forcing Jackie to step behind the two. “I’m fairly certain a 5 year old would not have the mental capacity to impregnate you. Or do what we did last night. And this morning.” He nudged Rose while wiggling his eyebrows.

“I can hear you,” Jackie grumbled, barely keeping herself from strangling her son in law.

“Sorry, mum.” Rose smacked the Doctor’s arm, ignoring his over exaggerated noise of pain.

When they made it to the store, the Doctor’s excitement came back full force. “Blimey, it’s huge! Where do we start?” He scanned the store with bright eyes.

Rose giggled and linked her arm through her husband’s. “How ‘bout we go clockwise? Mum?”

Jackie held up her hands and shook her head vehemently. “Oh no. No way I’m going ‘round here with him like that. Probably end up thrown out within 20 minutes.”

The Doctor turned to glare at her. “I resent that.”

“It’s true and you know it. I’m going to look at the strollers, sweetheart. You two have fun.” Jackie squeezed her daughter’s shoulder and walked away.

The Doctor pouted and tugged Rose along. “That was very rude.”

“You’re always rude.”

He grinned and spontaneously kissed her temple. “Rude and not ginger, that’s me!”

“Blimey, you really are excited.” She giggled and started down the clothes aisle. “Figure we should stock up. Doubt the TARDIS has an abundance of baby clothes in the wardrobe.”

The Doctor shrugged and followed her. “Could have. I’m not even sure what all in there, honestly.”

Rose turned to him with a smirk while picking up a pink onesie. “I thought you just picked up stuff from your travels.”

“Only about half.” He pulled her close and pecked her nose. “The rest is Time Lord magic.”

“Mm, you mean Time Lord _science_.” She tilted her head up so his lips would fall to hers. “Now, look at this onesie. What do you think?”

He pulled back with a smile and took the piece of clothing out of her hand. “It’s so tiny! Oh Rose, it’s perfect. She’ll love it.”

His sheer joy made Rose giggle. She loved seeing him so excited about something as domestic as this. “She won’t even be able to tell what it looks like, Doctor.”

He scoffed, looking more than offended. “She’s our child, Rose. Much cleverer than the average infant. Her mental growth rate should be thrice of a human’s.”

“Of course it will,” she sighed. She was almost positive the child would come out of the womb quoting Shakespeare and practicing calculus with her father. Before she could voice these concerns, the Doctor ran off. “Bloody hell. He can’t just stay in place for five minutes.”

“Rose!”

She blew out a breath and followed his voice. “What could possibly be so fascinating that you have to run-oh my god.”

The Doctor was holding up a very bright, very _fruity_ outfit. One fruit in particular. “Doctor, we are not dressing our child in _bananas_.”

He held it up in front of him with a large smile, seeming to not hear her. “It’s perfect! _Molto bene!_ Oh Rose, this store is _fabulous_.”

Rose quickly realized that she would lose the fight, so she grabbed the horrendous item from his hands and through it in the trolley with a sigh.

oOo

Once Rose and the Doctor were back on the TARDIS, they had an alarming amount of bags and furniture to put away. Rose blinked at the full console room, overwhelmed. “I think it’s time to pick out a room for Talia.”

“Not very hard, Rose. I just have to…” He paused for a second, looking as though he was lost in thought. “Voila! Right next to our room. Connecting doors and everything. Of course, she’ll stay in her cot in our room for the first month for easy feeding. She’ll be weaning off much quicker than you’d expect. Gallifreyan children grow quickly, but once they hit ‘adulthood’ - in reference to their physical form, that is, though they would still be considered children mentally -  their aging slows down significantly.”

Rose raised an eyebrow. “So...she’ll be full-grown and still act like a child?”

“What? No. Well, by _Gallifreyan_ standards. By human standards, her mentality will be along the lines of an elder.”

“Blimey.” Rose shook her head. “This is going to be a lot of work. Now, let’s get this stuff moved-” when she bent down to retrieve the closest bag, it disappeared.

“You’re halfway through your second trimester, love. Let the TARDIS take care of it-oh, you’re already doing it! No reason for attitude.” He glared at the ceiling.

Rose grabbed the Doctor’s hand to gain his attention. “Let’s start putting stuff together.” Her eyes lit up at the prospect.

The Doctor groaned as he took in her demeanor. “It’s started.”

Her brow furrowed in confusion. “What’s started?”

“Nesting.” He motioned toward her. “You’re starting to nest. A bit earlier than I expected. And no, I do not plan on being a part of this. I have repairs to do.”

“You were so excited at the store!”

“Yeah,” he moved to open up the bottom of the console, “but that was for the day. All of these...domestics with decorating will take weeks!”

Rose rolled her eyes and began to rub her stomach as she turned away. “Fine. I’ll do it all myself. And I’ll make sure to let Talia know that her father was too stubborn to help decorate her soon-to-be lovely room. And that you allowed your pregnant wife to move the furniture all by herself.”

The last part got the Doctor’s attention. Of course he couldn’t have Rose doing such strenuous labor! He grumbled and walked toward her. “Fine, fine, I’m coming.”


	8. Chapter 8

 

Rose hummed Beethoven while sitting in a plush chair in the library. The Doctor said that it will “stimulate” the baby and be even more effective if it’s her voice doing the stimulating. At first she was thankful that he was so involved, but after many nights being forced to listen to symphony after symphony (only being left alone once the Doctor was satisfied that she had remembered the tunes) she was quickly growing weary. Then there were the small, quiet moments like now, the baby gently kicking her hand as she rubs her stomach. It made it all worth it. **  
**

A relaxed smile came to her lips when she heard the door slowly slide open and quiet patters of feet moving closer. “Hello, love.”

The Doctor smiled at the scene in front of him and placed a gentle kiss on the top of his wife’s head. “She responding?”

“Kicking up a storm.”

“Brilliant! Let daddy have a feel?” He plopped down next to Rose and leaned down to press his ear against her stomach.

She watched him with a serene expression on her face and ran her fingers soothingly through his hair. She loved when the Doctor got into “daddy-mode”. She didn’t think she’d ever seen him act more human. Before she could voice her thoughts, there was a sharp jolt in her mind. She blinked in surprise.

The Doctor’s eyes widened and he pulled back, a large grin on his face and tears in his eyes. “Rose, I felt her.”

Rose smiled back in confusion. “Like I said, kicking up a storm.”

“No, no.” He placed a hand on her stomach as he stared down in awe. “In my mind. Oh Rose, the calmness she exudes...and it’s been so long…” He let out a breath and leaned down to place a kiss against his child. “She feels _amazing_. Don’t you, love, “ he cooed happily.

“Oh! That must’ve been what I felt.”

The Doctor paused his ministrations to look up at her in surprise. “You...felt her? In your head?”

She shrugged and glanced off to the side, suddenly feeling sheepish under his gaze. “Just like a...jolt, I guess. Or a shock?”

He stared at her for a long moment before relaxing into another smile. “I actually shouldn’t be surprised, what with how brilliant you both are. My guess is that due to her telepathic abilities and close connection to you as of now, she’s able to project slightly onto you. Not enough for you to decipher - not surprising, given your underdeveloped human brain-”

“Oi!”

“-but enough for a bit of awareness. How brilliant is that, Rose?”

The Doctor’s large beam made her forgive his earlier transgression and she beamed back. “Wonderfully brilliant, love. Of course she is.” She looked down at her stomach proudly. “She’s going to be so amazing.”

The Doctor kissed her temple and rubbed her arm, unable to adequately express his elation and love. “She already is.”

Over the next couple of weeks, the Doctor took the opportunity to strengthen his and their daughter’s bond while Rose slept. As the sleeping seemed to happen more and more frequently, he was making remarkable progress. Everything was going perfectly with the pregnancy and he was beginning to get anxious to meet his daughter in the flesh.

Not long after, however, things took a turn for the worst. One morning after the Doctor had actually taken some time to sleep, Rose woke up disoriented and weak.

The Doctor jumped out of the bed and kneeled down by her side of the bed. “Rose? Can you hear me?”

Rose groaned and nodded. “Just tired. I just need to…” She began to drift off again, words slurring.

The Doctor felt panic rise in him. “Love, I need you to wake up for me. Just to get up and move around a bit, yeah?”

Slowly she peeled her eyes open and moved a lethargic hand out to him. “Okay. Help me up?” Her ever-present slurring was worrying.

“Of course.” He swallowed down his anxiety in favor of keeping his wife calm and grabbed her hand, helping her to sit up.

Rose immediately fell against his chest once she was in a sitting position, her eyes closing. “I don’t think…”

“Rose, I need you to get up _now_.” He hated the tone of his voice, but Rose had to get herself moving. “C’mon. Let me help you.” He slung one of her arms around his shoulders and help her out of the bed. Once Rose’s feet hit the floor, she collapsed into his arms. He swore in gallifreyan and picked her up bridal-style, settling her back under the covers. “Okay, we’ll figure this out.” He assuring himself more than Rose, who was already drifting off. “Just need to think, think, think, think...ah!” He bounced up, eyes wide in realization, and ran out of the bedroom. He was back minutes later, two bags of fluid and IV tubes in hand. He quickly hooked Rose up, who was too far out of it to even notice. Over the next half hour he watched as Rose became more aware. He sighed in relief as she sat up, blinking away sleep. “Oh, thank Rassilon.”

Rose looked at the IV attached to her hand and then at the Doctor in confusion. “Is the baby okay?”

He smiled reassuringly and took a seat next to her, pulling her close. “The baby is fine, promise. She was just taking a bit too much - for you, not for her. Your metabolism, no matter how much it’s increased, couldn’t keep up with her.” He placed a line of kisses down the side of her face. “You’ll be good as new in no time. Just needed a little boost. But as that will take time, we’ll just have to entertain ourselves in bed.” When a sly smile appeared on Rose’s mouth, he sent her an admonishing look. “Now, now, you’re much too weak for any of _that_ at the moment. I was thinking a book!” He bent down close to Rose’s stomach. “Wouldn’t you like that, my lovely little Time Tot?”

Rose snorted. “A Time _what_? Where the hell did you come up with that?!” The name was more than ridiculous, but also a bit cute.

The Doctor looked up at her with wide eyes and a matching smile. “It’s what my people called our young.”

Rose blinked, taken aback. “Your people, the ones you call ‘stuffy, prude know-it-alls’, called their children _Time Tots_?” She tried to hold it in, she really did, but it was too much. She burst out into laughter.

“Oi! It fits rather well, I think.”

She laughed even harder at his indignant tone. She finally began to calm down, but the sudden image in her mind of a big bad Time Lord voicing the title in a no-nonsense voice set her off again.

The Doctor pouted. “It’s not that funny.” He sighed, less than impressed at her poor attempts at reigning herself in. “Right, time for that book. _The Tempest_ would be a good one to start her out on, I think.”

Rose stopped short and looked at him as if he dribbled on his shirt. “Doctor.”

“What?! I really am growing tired of that tone, Rose Tyler.” He gave her a stern look and grabbed the book that had appeared on the nightstand.

“We are not reading our unborn child Shakespeare.”

“He’s a literary genius!”

“And she’s a baby. A baby that’s not even born yet!”

He sighed dramatically and rolled his eyes. “Fine, fine. Some Dickens, then.” He traded the book for _Oliver Twist_ and opened the cover while clearing his throat. “Among other public buildings in a certain town…”

Rose smiled and lay back against the bed with closed eyes, allowing the Doctor’s lulling tone to wash over her. After a couple chapters the Doctor closed the book and climbed into bed, pulling Rose into his arms. “She enjoyed it. I could feel it.” He motioned toward his head.

Rose smiled up at him and pulled him down by the back of the neck for a sweet, lingering kiss. “I’m glad.”

“Me, too.” He then pulled away. “How ‘bout I make us some breakfast?”

The rest of the day, Rose’s strength slowly increased until she was back to her normal self. By supper time, she was bouncing into the galley to make them both a nice meal. “Need to do something to keep myself busy after being in bed all day. I feel like I wasted the whole day away!”

The Doctor came up from behind her and rested his hands on her belly. “TARDIS. Time’s relative.”

“Not when there’s a little person inside me. Makes things rather linear.”

He paused, but then agreed. “Never really thought about that. It’s true, though. Certain things make it all not so...timey wimey.”

“Timey what-y?”

“Nevermind that.” He hummed in appreciation as the aromas of the kitchen overwhelmed his senses. “Smells lovely. Is that homemade pesto?”

“I was in a crafty mood.” She leaned back into him. “Should be done soon.”

After the pasta was finished and they ate their fill, they spent some time in the library, the Doctor reading more of _Oliver Twist_. It took another couple of hours before Rose began to drift off. The Doctor gazed down at her in adoration and set the book aside in favor of carrying Rose to bed.

He slid in next to her and got comfortable, elation buzzing through him. He didn’t need to sleep, so he instead spent the time watching her. He never really understood the pregnancy glow before - besides the medical reasoning behind it, of course - but looking at his wife now shed light on the subject. She was always beautiful, but there was something about the way she shone. It was stunning.

When the clock struck 8am, he got up to make some toast and tea for the both of them. He was back in the room with a bed tray in record time. Het set it down with a smile and gently shook her shoulder. “Time to wake up, Rose. I’ve got tea and toast.” He frowned when she didn’t move. Another shake, rougher this time. “Rose. Time to wake up, love.”

No response.

The next time he moved her, she flopped onto her back without any hint of animation. Fear coursed through him as he jumped to her side, sonic screwdriver out to scan her. When he analyzed the results, his heart sank.

Rose was in a coma.


	9. Chapter 9

The Doctor gripped Rose’s hand firmly in his as he watched the heart monitor dejectedly. Her usual high heart rate (an effect of the high metabolism) had slowed dramatically. He knew abnormal heart rate was normal for a coma, but it did nothing to appease him.

After the initial panic and a thorough check up for the baby, he finally began to calm enough to get Rose situated properly. That fear was still deep-seated in his core, but he was able to act efficiently as her - their - doctor. The sudden turn for the worst made absolutely no sense to him whatsoever. He initially thought it was due to low nutrients, but after he added the best of the best to Rose’s IV, nothing changed in her condition. It had already been two days since she had initially fallen into the coma. All of time and space in his head and he had absolutely no idea what was wrong with his wife. It was galling, to say the least. He held onto the fact that both seemed to be in peak health; it was all he had to hold onto.

He cleared his throat and shook away the more gruesome scenarios, squeezing her hand harder in response. “I’ll get you better, Rose. I promise.” It wasn’t long before he began to nod off, the past couple of days taking their toll. Before he could fall into a deep sleep, however, the TARDIS jerked to life. “Wha…” He blinked away fatigue in favor of confusion and then placed a quick kiss on Rose’s forehead before rushing to the console room. He couldn’t understand in the slightest why the TARDIS would have moved. Anger born out of the overwhelming emotions stirring inside him took over as he glared up at the ceiling. “What the hell are you doing?! There’s no time for a trip, we have-” he was cut off by a ding! and the monitor coming to life. Rose’s bedroom in her mother’s flat appeared on the screen.

Oh.

Anger quickly dissolved into remorse when he realized he had forgotten Rose’s mother. Her daughter was currently in peril and she never even knew. If Rose had died, would he have neglecting even telling her? He felt sick to his stomach at the thought of a dead Rose and Talia, but was saved from further horror when there was a knock on the door. He sighed and dragged his feet over to the door. He was already mentally preparing himself for the slap of his lives (one most deserved, he was sure), that wasn’t what made him feel as though he were going to vomit. It was the disappointment and sorrow that was sure to follow. Jackie had entrusted him her daughter and granddaughter, and he had failed. With a deep breath of preparation, he opened the door.

The moment the door opened, Jackie stuck her head inside. “Is the baby here?! I told you to call first, I know you heard me-”

“Rose hasn’t delivered the baby.”

She nodded in understanding. “Just needs her mother. Completely understandable at this stage.”

The Doctor sighed and ran his hands down his face tiredly. His hearts were racing as he knew he had to reveal the truth. “Why don’t you come with me.” He motioned for her to follow down the corridor.

Jackie began to feel nervous. The Doctor’s somber demeanor was never a good sign. “What’s wrong with my baby? And yours?” When he didn’t answer, she huffed, exasperated and anxious. “Doctor.”

He abruptly stopped, hand on the handle of the nearest door. “Look for yourself.” He opened it slowly and allowed her to walk in ahead of him.

The sight of her daughter hooked up to the machines, unconscious, stopped her heart cold. She swiveled around to the Doctor, eyes fiery with misdirected anger and mistrust. “What the hell did you do to her?!”

The Doctor’s face crumpled, but he quickly got ahold of himself. He really would have preferred the slap. “I don’t know what’s wrong with her, Jackie. Other than her slowed heart rate, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with her. Her brainwaves are responsive. She was doing brilliantly last week. It was just so…sudden. I-I don’t know. I just don’t know.” By the end his voice began to tremble, conveying his panic that he’d hoped to cover up.

Jackie held her glare for a moment, but eventually sighed and rubbed his shoulder in a motherly manner. “I know, sweetheart. I’m sorry. I just…she’s my daughter; I’m worried.”

He nodded, understanding. He felt the same way. “Me, too. I’ll figure this out, Jackie. I promise.”

She looked to the side and nodded, folding her arms protectively. “I know. You always do, yeah?”

He clenched his jaw, deciding not to correct her. It was best to keep her calm. “Yeah.”

Jackie looked down at her daughter in contemplation. “We should move her into her bedroom. In my flat, I mean.”

The Doctor sighed and took his seat next to Rose. “We can’t. I need the equipment in here to monitor her.”

She pursed her lips, but accepted it. “Fine. But you’re not leaving. Not until she’s better. Maybe not until the baby’s born; I need to be here for her. It’s a scary time.”

He nodded, knowing there was no way to keep her out. “Of course. I wouldn’t keep you from her, Jackie. You know that.”

She shrugged and glanced down. “Once kept me from her for 12 months.”

“You know I didn’t mean-”

“I know.” She waved him off and took the other seat the TARDIS had graciously provided. “So, what do we do?”

He kept his gaze on Rose, face worn. “Nothing to do but wait. I’m sorry.”

She swallowed and nodded. “Right. I’ll have to go to work obviously. Other than that, I’ll be here.”

“Obviously.” He nodded. “She’d want you to. Keep on living.”

“Don’t talk about her like she’s gone.”

His eyes widened. “No, no, of course not. She’s not. She won’t be.”

She nodded, knowing he was being honest. It was a slip.

Over the next week, both stayed planted at Rose’s side. Jackie decided to take a week off anyway; she did not feel comfortable leaving her daughter’s side just yet.

On the seventh day, both were in the galley calming themselves with a cup of tea.

Jackie stared down at her cup, lost in thought. The Doctor could tell something was on her mind, something she wanted to desperately bring up. He was oddly relieved when she began to talk, though the way she stared into his eyes imploringly began to make her uncomfortable. “I just…you know you’re part of the family, yeah? I trust you with her. I trust you with them. And I don’t blame you for any of this, sweetheart. I can see it in your eyes, what you think. What you believe. This is not your fault. I’m here if you need to talk it through.”

He swallowed and tapped on the side of his mug anxiously. “Right. Thanks.”

She eyed him suspiciously. “You don’t believe me. It’s true, though. Please, just try and believe it. That’s all I ask.”

He sighed. He knew it would be no use, but it was nice to know that there was someone there. “I’ll try.”

“Right.” She stood after downing the rest of her cuppa. “I’m going to have a shower and then go and sit with her some more. I imagine you’ll be in there already.”

He nodded. “Of course. Also,” he cleared his throat, “thank you. It…it means a lot. Being part of the family.”

She smiled and hesitated, then placed a kiss on the top of his head. “Of course.”


	10. Chapter 10

“You said she’d be better by now.” **  
**

The Doctor clenched his jaw in irritation. Jackie had had major mood swings since coming on board. Really, he should have expected it - her daughter was inexplicably ill - but it managed to irk him nonetheless. “I never said she would be better, Jackie. I don’t _know_ when she will be better because it makes _no bloody sense_.”

Jackie huffed and dropped down in the seat next to him. “Well, fat lot of good you are, just sitting around. How is that helping her at all?!”

“There’s nothing else I can do!” He stood abruptly and began to pace the length of the infirmary. “You think I wouldn’t be working to get her better the instant I knew how? I’m _still_ checking every hour for anything I could have missed. Don’t you _dare_ accuse me of not helping. She’s my _wife_. She’s carrying our daughter!” His stopped in front of her chair with clenched fists and gritted teeth.

Jackie, able to give it back just as good, sent him a glare. “You’re always going on about how smart you are. Saying you’re the most clever being in the universe. Where the hell is your proof now? That bloody ego of yours, it causes problems like _this._ ”

“Oh, no.” He shook his head in disbelief, his mouth forming into a snarl. “Don’t you _dare_. You think I don’t wonder about all of that enough? Blame it on my selfishness - because, trust me, I know how selfish it is for me to keep her - but I would _never_ put Rose in harm’s way.”

Jackie scoffed and pointed an accusatory finger. “Oh please, don’t-”

“When will you two stop rowing?”

Both Jackie and the Doctor froze. He was the first to recover, his head snapping toward Rose. She looked as though she were waking up from a restful night’s sleep. Her vitals had no only gone back to normal, but seemed to _excel_. “Rose,” he croaked, hearts racing. Within moments he was at her side, placing gentle and loving kisses on her face. “Rassilon, _Rose_.”  

“Oh, sweetheart.” Jackie sat down on the other side of the bed, rubbing Rose’s arm. “We didn’t know if you were going to wake up.”

The Doctor sent a glare at Jackie. “That’s not true. We just...didn’t know _when_.”

Rose blinked in confusion while looking between the two. “What d’ya mean, wake up?”

The Doctor took a deep breath to compose himself. “You were in a coma, love. For the past week.” When Rose’s vitals started to spike, he quickly calmed her down with gentle caresses. “You’re fine, the baby’s fine. It really...I couldn’t make any sense of it. Anyway, I need to do some tests to make sure you really are okay.” He decided to keep her overachieving vitals to himself, at least until he knew what it meant. Once he had Rose unhooked and ready for his new tests, he turned to Jackie. “I’m just going to do some quick tests, Jackie. You can step out.”

Jackie raised an eyebrow and folded her arms. “I’m fine right here.”

He sighed in exasperation. He knew Jackie just wanted to be near her daughter, but having an overbearing mother over his shoulder was making him anxious. “Please, Jackie. It’s better these tests be done with as few people in the room as possible.”

“There is nothing wrong-”

“Mum.” Rose slowly slid off the cot and the Doctor made sure to grab hold of her waist before her atrophied legs gave way. “Trust the Doctor. You know he would never put me in danger.”

Jackie moved to protest, but decided against it, instead nodding and reluctantly retreating to the hall.

The Doctor sighed, already breathing more freely, and moved Rose back onto the bed. “I’m going to have you sit for a bit longer while I work. After, we’ll get those muscles up and working again.”

Rose watched him with quiet curiosity. “Are you checking my brainwaves?”

He faltered and turned to her with a furrowed brow. “Why do you say that?” He figured she was just connecting coma to brain trauma, but he couldn’t take anything at face value.

She shrugged. “I feel different. My head, I mean. It’s like...things that didn’t make sense, do.”

“I...what?” The Doctor was becoming more confused by the minute. “What do you mean, Rose? What makes sense?”

She shrugged again, a smile forming on her lips. “The gold lines. It was like...they were always out of my sight, like a perception filter, yeah? So well hidden I didn’t even know it was there. But now I do. You have one, I have one,” she placed a hand on her stomach, “and so does Talia. And mum, but hers is silver.”

He startled. The way she spoke, it was as if she was…”Rose...are you seeing timelines?”

She blinked up at him. “I...are those the lines? Doctor, I don’t know. I don’t know.”

The Doctor could quickly see that Rose was beginning to panic, so he sat next to her and pulled her into a hug. He would save his own awe for later. “I told you how I have time sense. Now, I can’t see them as clearly as you apparently can, but...I think that’s it, Rose. I don’t understand it, but-” his eyes widened as all became so much more clear, “of course!”

Rose jumped at his sudden outburst.

He jumped up and moved away the cart he was about to hook Rose up to in favor of a slender, steel device. “You weren’t hurt. Oh, no. It was a _healing coma_.”

Rose subconsciously folded her arms over her stomach as she stared up at her husband. “What, like when you regenerated? Did I-did I regenerate?”

“No, no, nothing like that. Well, I don’t think so. I need to do some tests to know for sure.”

“Doctor, please just tell me-”

“Please just lie back, I need to know for sure.” He helped her to lie comfortably. “It’ll be quick, I promise.” He had to consciously keep his hand from shaking as he roved the scanner over Rose’s body. If his suspicions were correct, life was about to get even better. At least, he hoped - it would for him, at any rate.”

Rose glanced at him, barely able to catch his form in her peripheral while lying down. “Find anything?”

The scanner whirred as it calculated the results, the Doctor tapping his foot impatiently. “Just about.” When it snapped quiet, he let out a deep breath. He tried not to get his hopes up, afraid of his reaction if they were dashed. “No time like the present, I suppose,” he murmured to himself and flipped the small screen cover up.

Rose boosted herself up on her elbows, curiosity getting the better of her. “What’s it say?”

The Doctor took another moment to stare at the reading in awe and then turned to her with a bright grin. “Oh, Rose. Something _brilliant_.”


	11. Chapter 11

Rose looked at the Doctor in confusion. “C’mon, tell me! What is it? Are you sure the baby’s okay?” **  
**

The Doctor calmed himself enough to comfort his wife. “Everything is wonderful, Rose. Really, properly, _fantastic_.”

She raised an eyebrow, her heart rate slowing. “Fantastic, eh? Haven’t heard that one in a while.” She sobered. “Now tell me, what did you find?”

His excitement dulled, finally realizing that though this was great news to him, it was a possibility it wouldn’t be for Rose. “Right, sorry.” He laughed nervously and sat down next to her. “Thing is...as I said, you were in a healing coma. Only, it wasn’t healing your body of your sudden lethargy, but more... _enhancing_ your body.”

“I don’t understand.”

He sighed. “Bad Wolf. I should have known changes were present, but I was dealing with the regeneration and then was just so happy you were alive and with me...anyway, residue from the vortex resided inside you, just waiting for the right catalyst.”

Rose was still a bit lost to exactly what had happened. “All right...so what, my body is more equipped to handle Talia?”

The Doctor beamed. “Very good! That is definitely part of it. The main reason why the changes happened, really. The vortex was the reason you were able to get pregnant to begin with. But there’s more. More that I believe is rather brilliant, as I’ve said, but also rather...life changing.”

Rose was beginning to get impatient and she was quick to voice this.

He held up his hands. “Right, right, sorry. Thing is, these changes are down to your DNA. It’s more like mine now, actually. In fact, you’re probably more...powerful, for lack of better words...than me. If you weren’t my wife I’d want to study you.”

She raised an eyebrow at that, the gravity of the changes not fully sinking in. “You hate people like that. The ones that study living things.”

“Now, I hate the ones that use inhumane and involuntary methods. If all parties involved are on board, there’s nothing wrong with it. Either way, I wouldn’t do it to you.” He stopped himself, knowing he still had more to get through. “But back to the changes. Now, you’ll most likely find that you heal much faster than normal. Also, as you’ve already demonstrated, the ability to see timelines. But there’s one more thing.”

Rose was beginning to get annoyed with how the Doctor kept beating around the bush. “Mum’s going to burst in anytime.” She knew that would get him going.

His eyes widened comically. “Blimey, right. Forgot about her-I mean, yes! Jackie! Don’t want to keep her waiting.” He cleared his throat and glanced toward the door. “Well, thing is...your lifespan. It...it’s increased exponentially.”

“I...my lifespan? By how much?”

This is where it got iffy for the Doctor. He was 110% sure Rose would live as long as him, but the exact length evaded him. He hated the thought of leaving her alone. “Quite a lot. Perhaps longer than me.”

Rose turned pale. “But...I’ll be there for you? Forever? And Talia?” Her eyes widened. “Will I live longer than her?”

He sighed. “I’m sorry Rose, I don’t know. These are things I can figure out, though. It may take some time, but that’s something we have quite a bit of.”

She blinked rapidly, not sure how to feel. She was elated that she would be able to live the Doctor’s lives with him, and perhaps Talia as well, but after? Where would she be?

“Oh, Rose.” The gravity of the situation fully hit the Doctor. He had been so excited at the prospect that he didn’t think about after he was gone. Of course, the length of her lifespan was still speculation. The thought that she could be alone, however, cut him deep. “I will figure out _everything_ I can. I won’t let you be alone.”

She took a deep breath and then smiled. “Right. Well, we’ve got time to figure it all out. And...if I do live longer than we expect, there’s Jack. We’ve got friends; I won’t be alone. What’s important,” she pulled him in for a kiss, “is that I won’t ever leave you. You’ll never have to know that loneliness again.”

He sighed, the burden still heavy on his shoulders, but nodded. “We’ll figure it out.”

“Exactly.” Another kiss and then she carefully got out of bed. “Now, mum’s going to want to know what we’ve been talking about.” Before she opened the door, she looked back to the Doctor appraisingly. “Ah...perhaps stay here. And I’ll take mum out into the flat. Away from you.”

He deflated further. “She’s going to slap me, isn’t she?”

A brilliant smile spread across Rose’s lips. “Oh, yeah.”


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally time for the birth! Just an epilogue left. 
> 
> I also apologize for the long wait. New job, busy times.

Rose devoured her banana-flavored ice cream with ferocity. “Blimey, this is better than I remember.” **  
**

The Doctor grinned as he watched her, licking his own cone leisurely. “No doubt she’s mine!”

“Good thing. I was worried for a bit there.” She smiled cheekily at him, showing she was joking. “Knowing your luck, she’ll love pears.”

His face screwed up in disgust and a shudder passed through him. “We’ll have to send her to spend some time with your mother. That’ll put her back on the right path.”

“Oi!” Rose smacked him on the arm. “Granted, she is still mad at you. Probably be best to wait until I’m in labor to see her.”

“Or during Talia’s first birthday.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Then she really _will_ kill you. Now, shush. I’m eating.”

He smirked and backed off, choosing to focus on his own treat. It didn’t take long for him to notice a group of women continuously glancing toward their table. “What’s up with that?”

Rose looked toward the group, brow furrowing with worry once she recognized them. “Those are the women from last time! They were whispering about me then, too.”

The Doctor’s face turned contemplative and then a smile spread across his lips. “Of course! The indigenous species are very in tune with biological function, especially of off-worlders. They must sense the baby.”

She raised an eyebrow and glanced down at her generous-sized bump. “Uh, I don’t think it takes fancy powers to figure out I’m pregnant, Doctor. Though it makes sense for the last time we were here.”

He shrugged. “You are nearing the end of the pregnancy. Perhaps they sense the shift.”

Rose’s eyes widened. “Does that mean I’m about to have the baby? But-but what if the nursery isn’t ready?  I really think we should switch the wallpaper after all-”

“Love, calm down,” the Doctor soothed with an amused smile. “Just because they sense a shift doesn’t mean we’re having the baby _today_. And the wallpaper is perfect, nothing needs to change.”

Rose was not quick to calm. All of her dormant fears were suddenly coming to life. “She might not like it! And what about the coma, are you sure Talia’s okay?”

“Rose.” The Doctor moved from his spot so he could kneel in front of her. “I promise you, she is _perfect_. Everything is and will be perfect when she’s ready to come and-Rose, I think you might have weed a bit, not a problem...oh. _Oh_.” His former calm demeanor was suddenly replaced with a look of panic. “Rose, I think your water broke.”

Rose had been looking down at her wet pant leg in shock, not registering a word the Doctor had said. “I thought you said we have time! I- _oh bloody fucker in hell!_ ” Her face contorted in pain.

“TARDIS, now!” He helped her up and was urging her forward at a very uncomfortable pace.

“Doctor!” She ripped her arm away, glowering. “If you keep tuggin’ me like that, this baby won’t have a father.”

The Doctor paled and clasped his hands behind his back. “Yes, quite, I apologize. But perhaps we should hurry? If that’s all right?” He smiled widely, but his eyes were still panicked.

She began to panic a bit herself when seeing the Doctor act so shifty. “I thought you said everything was fine!”

“Of course it is! I just don’t want you to have the baby here-”

“Here?! How quickly do Gallifreyan babies come out?!”

“No, no, I was over-exaggerating, we just need to-oh, hello.” The Doctor straightened as the chatty women from earlier approached them. “Something we can help you with, ladies?”

The woman in the front smiled at them both and handed the Doctor a small silver device. “It seems you’re in a rush.” She glanced down at Rose’s protruding stomach.

Rose let out a pained breath. “Yeah, no shi-”

“Thank you!” The Doctor rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly and glanced at Rose. “It’s a transporter, love.” He looked back to the women in appreciation. “Really, thank you.”

“Of course. Vasda blessings to your gift.”

He wrapped an arm around Rose’s taut shoulders and kissed the side of her head. “Quite right.”

oOo

“She’s having the baby _now_? And you’re just telling me?!”

The Doctor winced at Jackie’s increasingly loud voice. “Jackie, she went into labor an hour ago. I’ve got her on safe medication. She’s resting for a bit, she won’t be giving birth for another few hours by the rate she’s dilating.”

Jackie huffed but headed into the TARDIS. The Doctor was close behind her, aware she wouldn’t know where to go. Just as expected, she faltered as she neared the console.

He hurried past her. “Just through here. She’s moved the infirmary closer.”

Jackie furrowed her brow in confusion. “She who?”

He glanced at her distractedly as he hurried into Rose’s room. “The TARDIS, of course. Rose! You’re up!”

Rose’s smile turned into a beam when she saw her mother. “Mum! I’m havin’ a baaaaaby.”

Jackie blinked and then turned to the Doctor. “What sor’ of drugs do you have her on?”

“Good ones.” He winked at Jackie and then positioned himself on the chair near Rose’s feet. “Let’s get an update, shall we?”

“Up to date! But the date’s today. I hope. Or I don’t mind; Doctor, I feel great.”

The Doctor hummed in amusement as he gauged her progress. “I bet you do. Now lie back for me, please.”

oOo

Jackie ran her fingers through her sleeping daughter’s hair. “Blimey, this is taking a while. When I had Rose, she seemed to come right out.”

The Doctor smiled. “It’s perfectly normal, especially for her. Even though her body has adapted, she is still essentially human. Therefore…” He trailed off as he focused on Rose’s stomach. “Therefore, she…” He squinted in concentration and then dropped back down between her legs. “Perhaps we shouldn’t have let her fall asleep.”

Jackie’s eyes widened in alarm. “Why? Is she all right?”

He held up a hand, eyes alight with joy, and gently shook Rose’s shoulder. “Rose? Love, time to get up. You have to push.” He turned toward Jackie with a grin. “Perhaps I should have lowered the dosage a bit.”

Once Rose was fully aware, she jumped in surprise. “Oh. Doctor, I think I should push. Really.” She shifted in discomfort at the foreign feeling.

He laughed in joy. “Brilliant! You’re already doing wonderful.”

She looked at him worriedly. “Are you sure that you doing this is the best? I mean, I’ve heard stories. You might never want to go down there again.”

“Yeah, definitely should’ve gone with a smaller dosage.” He pointedly avoided looking Jackie’s way. “Right! Ready?”

Rose nodded, though her eyes were fearful. “I just push?”

“Let your body guide you. Jackie, talk to Rose, yeah?”

Jackie quickly sat near Rose’s head and resumed running her fingers through Rose’s hair. “I can’t wait to meet my granddaughter. You’ve done so well, sweetheart.”

“All right Rose, let’s go again. Push!”

“I barely remember havin’ you. Least everything before holding you in my arms.” Jackie raised her chin a bit peek toward the Doctor. “You’ll be just the same, I’m sure. There’s nothing like it.”

“You’re doing just brilliantly. We’re almost there, just a couple more.” The Doctor’s eyes didn’t move from his task, eager to meet his daughter.

“You’ll never know love like it. Oh Rose, I can’t _wait.”_ Jackie was becoming just as restless.

“Just one more and-oh yes, hello there.”

Loud cries filled the room and Rose fell back against her pillow, taking measured breaths. She opened her eyes and reached a hand out. “Doctor?”

He quickly lay the baby on Rose’s chest with a teary smile. “Look at her. She’s just _perfect._ ”

Rose laughed wetly and placed a hand on her daughter’s back. “Of course she is.”


End file.
